Teaching & Learning

The Fine Arts Program in the Brockton Public Schools provides an aesthetic, intellectual and stimulating atmosphere for creative and technical proficiency. The sequential arts program is designed to awaken the child's awareness to beauty in life and nature and to develop a deep appreciation of social and cultural backgrounds.

In art, students learn to express their own ideas and emotions through various art forms and media, encouraging personal growth and a developed sense of self-esteem. Art offers opportunities for students to grow and make connections in life. It fosters development of problem solving skills through exploration and opens doors for growth and development which otherwise may never have been discovered.

As students progress they are given the opportunity to investigate and analyze past influences in the arts and society as well as present trends.

Student artists are encouraged to respond to this knowledge by using their advancing skills to create meaningful pieces of art.

The Brockton Public Schools Fine Arts Program, K-12, adopts the vision of the Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework, which states, "Learning in, about and through the arts develops each learner's capacity to make meaning from experience, respond to creativity and contribute to our society." The Fine Arts Program in the Brockton Public Schools embraces the Guiding Principles of the Arts Framework.

The Brockton Public School System has a diverse student population and currently services students from a variety of countries, including Albania, Angola, Brazil, Cambodia, Cape Verde, China, Haiti, India, Korea, Laos, Lithuania, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Vietnam, and several Spanish-speaking countries.

The Department of Bilingual/ESL Services administers programs for English language learners with the goal of developing English language proficiency and achieving state content-area standards, while simultaneously valuing their native languages and cultural backgrounds.

The goals of fostering students' awareness of, appreciation for, and proficiency with language and the varieties of its aesthetic expression are implicit in our planning.

The Brockton Public Schools believes that all students are mathematicians. By providing students with the opportunity to engage in rich meaningful tasks where students are required to represent their thinking, communicate their reasoning, and participate in mathematics discussions, students will develop a deeper conceptual understanding of mathematics.

Students in the Brockton Public Schools may choose to study Chinese, Latin or Spanish at the middle/K-8 schools, beginning in grades 6 or 7, as well as at Brockton High School in grades 9-11. Levels range from CP to Honors and years 1 through 5, International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP). Students with advanced foreign and/or native language skills, as well as English, may be eligible to enroll in the Medical Interpretation and Translation Program in French/Haitian Creole, Portuguese/Cape Verdean Creole or Spanish. In addition to a variety of course options available for study, there are language specific club activities offered at Brockton High School. Students should view their Student Handbooks and talk with their foreign language teacher in order to pursue these offerings. Students who meet the criteria, may be invited to join the Foreign Language Honor Societies.

The purpose of the societies is to recognize high achievement of high school students in their pursuit of acquiring a second language, and to promote a continuing interest in foreign language studies.

We expect students to access technology in order to be prepared for college and careers. Students may use the IRCs in their respective schools, a public library or their own personal computers at home. Personal devices may be accessed during class time at the discretion of the teacher.

The program is based upon sound current research and provides students with multiple strategies for becoming critical and creative musicians, listeners, and composers.

The Brockton Public Schools adopts the vision of the Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework. Music should generate intellectual and emotional excitement that helps bring people and art together. Through an effective program, music will have a lasting positive influence throughout one's life.

Guiding Principles

• All students will have access to high quality music programs.
• Music instruction will encourage learners to make multicultural and interdisciplinary connections.
• Students will develop musical skills through interactive learning.
• Teachers will provide challenges and opportunities for students at all levels of musical ability.
• Material will be drawn from many genres, time periods and cultures.
• Music assessment will monitor students' performance, improve instruction, enhance learning, and encourage students' self-reflection.

It is our goal that through interactive classroom instruction and project-based learning, students will gain the knowledge and skills needed to make lifestyle choices that result in a healthier and happier future.

National Health Education Standards are critical to the healthy development of children and youth. The Standards were developed to:

• Improve student learning across the nation by providing a foundation for curriculum development, instruction, and assessment of student performance.
• Set high and challenging expectations for all students
• Provide measurable knowledge and skill learning outcomes
• Ensure that Health Education is emphasized from kindergarten through twelfth grade
• Provide a guide for enhancing preparation and continuing education of health teachers

Standards 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.

Standards 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.

Standards 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and services to enhance health.

Standards 4: Students will demonstrate the ability to use inter-personal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.

Standards 5: Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.

Standard 6: Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health

Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

Standard 8: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

The Vocational and Career Education department offers approximately 60 elective courses to students at Brockton High School.

These courses are available to all BHS students, opening new avenues and possible career opportunities.

The Guidance Department is comprised of school psychologists, school adjustment counselors, guidance counselors and bi-lingual counselors. A consulting psychiatrist also provides services to students.

The mission of the Brockton Public Schools Guidance Services Department is to provide a comprehensive and developmental guidance and counseling program that promotes resilience and excellence in education.

The program assists students to develop into confident, independent and productive members of our wider community.

Confidentiality is extremely important in the student-counselor relationship. It is vital that the student is informed that material shared in the counseling session remains confidential. It is the counselor's professional responsibility to limit access to personal information to those who have a "need and right to know". In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the confidentiality rights of a student under the age of eighteen reside with the parent or legal guardian.

The goals of our department are formulated to:

• help students develop the ability to make carefully considered decisions in personal, social, career and educational matters.
• support parents in developing the understanding and skills necessary to help their children with educational and career choices.
• assist students and parents to widen their range of choices in career and educational alternatives.
• help students, parents, teachers and administrators to deal with problems within the classroom and the wider school environment.
• assist students to strengthen their self-perception so they may better recognize their need for appropriate counseling services, while in school or later in life.
• provide sound clinical practices to serve the mental health needs of the school community.